TAXIS: A LOOK AT THE FUTURE

Taxis, probably the most popular vehicles of the para- transit group, are receiving more and more notice these days by urban transportation planners. Since the taxi serves so many people without private transportation or access to buses, it should be adapted to provide better service to handicapped persons and people with packages or groceries, and to accommodate more passengers at one time. The Museum of Modern Art in New York City organized an exhibition of taxi designs for the future in order to demonstrate the potential of taxicabs for offering better service. The museum was supported by UMTA, long a backer of better taxi designs. The exhibit featured five prototype vehicles, and UMTA awarded $1 million contracts to AMF, Inc. and Steam Power Systems. The results are being evaluated for their suitability for widespread use. Besides a new design for taxis, however, ways must be found for their more efficient use. Variations on conventional taxi service include dial-a-ride, jitneys, and car pools. The ideas are not new; it is the renewed interest of urban planners and the willingness of UMTA to provide research funds that is new. In the past 2 years UMTA has spent more than $18 million and plans to continue support. Demonstrations of para-transit are currently being sponsored by UMTA in various cities across the country, with the results yet to be seen. It seems, though, that the era of more efficient taxis is not far off in the future.

• Corporate Authors:

  Department of Transportation

  Office of Public Affairs, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Taylor, R
• Publication Date: 1976

Media Info

• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: p. 4-7
• Serial:
  • Transportation USA
  • Volume: 3
  • Issue Number: 1
  • Publisher: Department of Transportation

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Demonstration projects; Paratransit services; Taxicabs; Transportation planning; Urban transportation; Vehicle design
• Subject Areas: Design; Economics; Highways; Public Transportation; Society; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00148140
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Apr 27 1981 12:00AM